State Superintendent Catherine Truitt
New budget proposal would delay implementation of Parents’ Bill of Rights law
School districts would get extra time to implement policies required by the so-called “Parents’ Bill of Rights” under the latest version of the state budget. Under a draft version of the budget unveiled Tuesday, districts would have until Jan. 1 to put policies in place required under the new law. Senate Bill 49 required the […]
State Board of Education’s power to withhold charter school funding restricted under state budget proposal
A provision in a state budget draft released Tuesday would limit the reasons on which the State Board of Education can rely to withhold funding from charter schools. Under the provision, the state board can withhold or reduce a charter school’s funding to make enrollment-based adjustments, if a school has violated the term of its […]
Advocates, administrators: ‘Parents’ Bill of Rights’ is a burden for Chatham County Schools
Days before a legal deadline, Chatham County public school leaders are struggling to implement provisions contained in Senate Bill 49, a controversial bill that became state law in mid-August and that requires educators to alert parents if their child changes their name or pronoun at school. It also restricts instruction about gender identity and sexuality […]
School leaders want delay in implementing Parents’ Bill of Rights requirements
The timing of the passage of the so-called “Parents’ Bill of Rights” has made life difficult for school leaders, State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said on Thursday. Leaders dealing with the start of a new school year and probable COVID surge want to see implementation of the law delayed until Jan. 1. Under Senate Bill 49 […]
State Board of Education reclaims charter school authority with new policy
The State Board of Education on Thursday reclaimed authority over charter schools, approving a new policy that requires the Charter School Review Board to submit approved applications to the state board for funding consideration. The state board approved the policy on an 8-3 vote, with Republicans Olivia Oxendine, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and State Treasurer […]
More than half North Carolina’s students rated proficient on state exams
A little more than half of North Carolina’s K-12 student test takers were proficient on the recent round of state exams, according to school accountability data shared by the NC Department of Public Instruction. The 53.6% proficiency rate for the 2021-22 school year is a slight improvement over the 51.2% recorded the previous year. However, […]
State Board of Education denies charter school’s relocation request
The State Board of Education on Thursday denied Dogwood Classical Academy’s request to relocate to Iredell County on a 6-3 vote. The K-8 school is scheduled to open next year in Cabarrus County. School officials requested the move to Iredell County after having trouble finding an affordable school site in Cabarrus County. State board members […]
State Superintendent Catherine Truitt reports ‘incredible’ gains in K-3 reading
North Carolina’s K-3 students have made “incredible gains” in reading and fewer of them require intensive intervention, State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said Thursday. Truitt shared K-3 reading data with the State Board of Education on Wednesday that shows kindergartners making a 48% percentage jump from the beginning of the 2022-23 school year to the end […]
Charter school looking to relocate faces opposition in Mooresville
Dogwood Classical Academy, a K-8 charter school, is facing opposition to a request to relocate to Iredell County. The school is supposed to open in Cabarrus County but has had trouble finding a suitable location. Mooresville Graded School District Superintendent Jason Gardner said in an impact statement submitted to the Office of Charter Schools that […]
As summer slips away, school safety takes center stage
Bullying. Suicide. Childhood trauma. Substance use. All are issues that educators and parents hope will not define a new school year. The Center for Safer Schools has focused this week on how to ensure school personnel have the skills to address a wide variety of issues that can impact school climate and safety. “Statistically speaking, […]
State Superintendent Catherine Truitt discusses learning loss before congressional committee
State Superintendent Truitt’s office reached out to NC Newsline on Thursday to say that Truitt misspoke in her congressional testimony about the amount of pandemic relief funds the state retains to aid in combating student learning loss. This story has been updated to reflect that the correct figure is $1.5 billion. State Superintendent of Public […]
Gov. Cooper approves bill requiring school threat assessment teams
In the wake of a national epidemic of school shootings, Gov. Cooper gave final approval today to House Bill 605 — a measure that will require “threat assessment teams” in public school units. School districts and charter schools will have to implement the program starting in the 2024-2025 school year. The law will also require […]